Will Banning Nazi Symbols Work?

The Victorian government is moving to ban the Nazi salute after neo-Nazis made the gesture on the steps of parliament.  

The issue has also spilled into federal parliament, where Attorney General Mark Dreyfus tried to make a point that the Liberal party had not called out the behaviour. 

However, opposition leader Peter Dutton called his bluff, saying he would support a federal ban on Nazi symbolism.  

On today’s Briefing, we speak to Nick McKenzie, one of Australia’s leading investigative journalists. He has been working for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald.  

Click the link below and listen the full episode now:

In this conversation, we will find out what the state of play is across the country regarding Nazi symbolism and if banning Nazi symbolism could make a difference. 

It was no surprise for Mr McKenzie to find out when the neo-Nazi group attacked the rally for trans and women’s rights as they intentionally sought propaganda.  

These guys want publicity, and this rally was a perfect place for them to get it. And they got it…They have been looking for events like this all over Australia, to rock up in the hope that the media will be calling over them,”

he said.

Mr McKenzie said banning Nazi posts, symbols, and Nazi salute would draw more publicity to them in the short term. 

Banning the Nazi salute is a small thing to do…but the real danger is their ability to recruit young impressionable Australian men to bring hatred and accelerate conflict.”

he added.

During his reporting and investigation of the Nazi group, Mr McKenzie received numerous death notes and emails threatening to attack him. 

He said Neo-Nazi groups would establish online communities filled with hate comments and violent videos.  

When you spend some time looking at them (hate chat rooms), there is no wonder someone who is young, vulnerable, and impressionable and who spent a lot of time in one of these rooms would end up thinking it’s okay to commit violence. The real issue is how do we deal with these spaces?”

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